In June of 2009, PE&G filed a class action lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court against the City and County of San Francisco challenging the practice by San Francisco General Hospital of "balance billing" emergency room patients, i.e. billing a patient directly for an amount over and above the amount the patient's health insurer has deemed to be the "allowed amount" for such services. The California Supreme Court has confirmed that the practice is illegal, and that any disputes over the bills should be resolved between the hospital and the insurer, but San Francisco General continues to do it. The complaint seeks restitution for those patients who have been overcharged and an injunction to prevent San Francisco General from continuing to balance bill patients. The case is Combrisson v. City and County of San Francisco. For an article about the case from the Daily Journal, click here.